A large share of Dr. Teker’s patients travel to Istanbul for their operation, from Europe, the Middle East and further away. Over the years the clinic has built a simple sequence for them, and patients who follow it tend to have a calm, well-organised experience. This article sets out what to expect from the first message to the final photograph.
Step one: photographs on WhatsApp
Everything starts with a message. Send the clinic photographs of your nose from the front, both sides, a three-quarter view and from below, taken in daylight without make-up and with hair away from the face. Add a few sentences on what bothers you and whether you have breathing problems or previous nose surgery. WhatsApp is the fastest channel and the one the clinic prefers; the number is on every page of this site.
Step two: online assessment
Dr. Teker reviews the photographs and the clinic replies with an initial opinion: whether you are a suitable candidate, what changes are realistic, whether a functional problem seems likely, and roughly what the operation would involve. A video call can be arranged if questions remain. This stage is where you should ask everything you want to know, including about recovery and the timeline, so that you travel with a clear picture.
Step three: how long to stay
Plan for seven to eight days in Istanbul. The sequence is usually: arrival and consultation in person on day one, when Dr. Teker examines the nose, confirms the plan on new photographs and checks the airway with an endoscope; surgery on day two, with one night in hospital; rest in your accommodation for the following days; the splint and any stitches removed around day seven; and the flight home the day after. Flying with the splint on is not advised, and the day-seven check is where the nose is examined and re-taped for the second week.
For tonsil or palate surgery the stay is longer, around ten days, because of the small risk of late bleeding. For septoplasty or sinus surgery alone, five to seven days is enough.
Where the clinic is
The clinic is in Bakırköy, on the European side of Istanbul, an established residential district on the Marmara coast with hotels of every category, good restaurants and the metro. It is convenient for both Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen with a taxi, and it is a quiet place to recover. The address and directions are on the contact page; the building has AlternatifBank on the ground floor, which taxi drivers find easily. Patients usually choose a hotel or apartment within a short ride of the clinic and of the hospital where the operation takes place.
Language
Dr. Teker consults in Turkish, English, Arabic and French. You will speak to him directly, not only through a coordinator, at the consultation and at every visit. This matters in surgery where the details of what you want are the whole point.
Ministry of Health authorisation
Dr. Teker’s clinic holds the International Health Tourism Authorization Certificate issued by the Turkish Ministry of Health. It is a formal recognition that the practice meets the requirements set for treating patients from abroad, and it is shown on the About page of this site. It is worth asking any clinic you consider whether it holds this certificate.
Companion, accommodation and insurance
Coming with a companion is recommended for the first two or three days, when you will be tired and bruised and glad of help. The clinic can suggest hotels near the clinic and hospital but does not require you to use a particular one. Consultations and surgery are self-pay; fees are discussed at the assessment stage so that there are no surprises. Check your travel insurance, and bring a list of any medicines you take, in particular blood thinners, which must be discussed before surgery.
Follow-up from home
After you fly home, recovery continues by message. You send photographs at agreed intervals, first weekly and then monthly, and Dr. Teker reviews them and answers questions. If anything needs to be seen by a doctor locally, the clinic will tell you what to ask for. Most international patients never need an in-person visit after the first week, and many send a one-year photograph with the final result.
A short checklist
- Photographs from five angles, sent on WhatsApp.
- Answers to your questions in the online assessment.
- Seven to eight nights in Istanbul for rhinoplasty; ten for throat surgery.
- A companion for the first days.
- Medication list, especially blood thinners.
- A hat and sunscreen for the flight home and the weeks after.
With this sequence, patients arrive knowing what will happen, and leave with a plan for the months of settling that follow.